Fluid-pressure reducing and regu



Oct. 14, 1941. BUTLER 2,258,595

FLUID-PRESSURE REDUCING AND REGULATING VALVE Filed Aug. 8, 1940 ,2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

FLUID-PRESSURE REDUCING AND REGULATING VALVE Filed Aug. 8, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,.II as l l I 81 1 a: I. IV 16 as 11 I l I mvsmmn.

msmzm utenlied Oct. 14, 1941 FLUID-PRESSURE REDUCING AND REGU- LATIN G VALVE Frank David Butler, United States Navy 3 Claims.

While my invention relates in general to valves of the type mentioned it applies more specifically to differential pressure area actuated valve assemblies and provides therein the essential parts necessary for their economical construction and efficient operation combined in a single compact unit that can be manufactured so that it may be either remotely or locally controlled during its operation. In such a valve assembly I provide a hydraulic actuating means, a hydraulic dash-pot assembly, a unique means for such local or remote control, a simple unit to manufacture, few workingparts, a simple and compact radiation means, an accessible valve to overhaul, an efilcient lubrication system for working parts, and, compactness throughout.

With reference to the drawings; Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through my fluid pressure reducing and regulating valve assembly as adapted to pneumatic air service, and as would appear on the dotted line |-l of Fig. 2; the latter figure is partly in plan and partly in transverse section as would appear on the dotted line 2g-2 of Fig. 1: Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. lexcept illustrating the valve assembly as adapted to steam service, and as would appear on the dotted line 3--3 of Fig. 4; and, Fig. 4 is a transverse section as would appear on the dotted line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

With reference to the numeral symbols of the drawings, the numeral l indicates the valve memher which is adapted to be a slidable fit within the bore 2 of the valve guide'member 3 and to normally form a sealed joint with the valve seat I and to be intermittently forced away fromsuch seat by elastic fluid under a relatively high pressure in the supply passage 5 exerting itself against the relatively small end projected area of the conical surface of said valveexposed to such supply passage, and to be seated by elastic fluid under a relatively low or reduced pressure in the fluid balance chamber 6 exerting itself against the relatively large endprojected area of the balance piston I exposed to said chamber 6.

The pressure in the elastic fluid supply passage 5 should normally be constant and the pressure in thei elastic fluid outlet passage 8 should normally be in direct proportion to the difi'erentialin sizes between the projected areas mentioned. However the pressure on the elastic fluid in passage 8 is made controllable by providing a means, in the form of the spring loaded manually adjustable relief valve assembly 9, for regulating the pressure of the elastic fluid leakoff in the dash-pot chamber l0 and leak-oil Application August 8, 1940, Serial No. 351,868

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370v 0. G. 757) chamber H which latter mentioned pressure exerting itself against the opposite side of piston 1 from chamber 6 tends to oppose the pressure within the latter chamber and to assist the pressure in passage 5 in unseating the valve land thus reducing the pressure differences of the elastic substance in passages 5 and 8 by. increasing the pressure inthe latter. The outer end projected area of the balance piston should be of ample size to obtain the minimum desired outlet pressure from the assembly, and thecharacteristics of the control valve assembly 9 should be such as to make it possible to obtain the maximum desired outlet pressure from such valve assembly. This control valve assembly 9 can be located either as illustrated in Fig. 1 or as in Fig. 3 so as to be manually controllable respectively 10- cally or remotely. The drain connection I2 01' the assembly 9 can be led into a drainage system or into a line or system under a. relatively extremely low pressure and containing a similar elastic fluid. l i i In the pneumatic air reducing valve assembly of Figs. 1 and 2, the chambers 6, l0 and II should be fllled with castor oil or lubricating oil when being assembled. While in the steam reducing valve assembly Figs. 3 and 4, such chambers should be filled with water when the valve is being: assembled. In the former mentioned valve assembly the fins I3 act in the capacity of an extractor and assist in dissipating the extremely 1y high temperatures causedby the relatively high pressure inlet steam expanding (without performing work) as it is reduced in pressure in passing through such valve assembly.

In constructing valve assemblies of this type for use in reducing extremely high pressure elastic fluids to lower pressvresthe main valve body 14 should be die forged of steel and have all passages, recesses and bores therein machined to size. The elastic fluid outlet passage 8 and flange connection should normally be relatively larger in diameter (see Figs. 3 and 4) than the supply passage 5and flange connection to allow for the increase in volume of such-fluid after it has be-,

come expanded. The valve seat insert 4 should normally be made of tungsten steel or a hard grade of corrosion resisting steel and should be rough machined except for contact fit with valve body and then electric arc-welded in place within the latter with additional metal appearing as at I Figs. 1 and 3. The valve body should then be heat treated to approximately 1200 degrees Fahrenheit to relieve internal stresses, and then the seat machine finished internally and at the valve seat proper. The valve guide member 3 should be a snug fit within the bores of valve body I4, cylinder body I6 and piston l and a slidable fit within the latter, and should also form a ground joint with the end face of the valve body I4 and a similar joint with the adjacent end face of the cylinder body I5 adjacent the bores of the latter two. The cylinder body I6, guide member 3 and valve body I4 are all adapted to be secured together by the stud-bolts IT. The valve member I is adapted to be secured to the piston I by either being threaded or flanged within the latter and locked thereto by and with the securing nut I8. Elastic fluid communication between cavity and passage 8 and chamber 6 is established via the diagonal port I9 and annular shaped recess in guide 3 and thence via the radial hole 2I and longitudinal hole 22 in valve I into said chamber 6. The valve I, guide 3 and piston 1 are all equipped with liquid deflection grooves 23 as illustrated and which grooves are for pressure sealing and lubrication distributing purposes.

The piston I, in the pneumatic air valve assembly Figs. 1 and 2 is equipped with a leather packing 24, while the piston of the steam valve assembly Figs. 3 and 4 is equipped with snap type piston rings 25. The recess and passage 8 and the dash-pot chamber I0 are connected together through the port I9 and recess 20 both in guide 3 The invention described herein may be manufactured and/or used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governand thence via the restricted clearance space existing between the outer periphery of valve I and the bore 2 of guide 3. The dash-pot chamber I0 and leak-off chamber II are connected together via the restricted clearance space existing between the outer periphery of guide 3 and the bore of piston I. The liquid contained in these chambers flows back and forth from one to the other through such restricted access mentioned and prevents the valve I from chattering back and forth against its seat during the period it is in the immediate vicinity of the latter. Likewise the liquid in chamber 6 flows back and forth to and from the bore of the valve body It (adjacent the passage 8) and keeps all moving parts of the assembly lubricated. Access between chamber I I and control valve assembly 9 is established via the grooves 26 and 21 in guide 3 and thence via the passage 28 (Figs. 1 and 2) or via the tubing connection 29 (Figs. 3 and 4) leading to assembly 9. The latter consists of a valve seat insert 30, a valve'proper 3|, a valve retainer spring 32, a valve adjustment screw 33 and an adjustment screw lock-nut 34. The valve guide 3 is equipped with a baffle collar 35 for purposes of shielding the liquid located in the bore of the valve body I4 and preventing such liquid from being siphoned into the passage 8 by the expanding elastic fluid passing through the latter. This baille 35 also prevents any small particles of scale etcetera from getting into the lubrication wells of the assembly.

Depending upon the use of the assembly, various minor changes may be made in the means disclosed to fit the occasion.

mental purposes without the payment of any royalty.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a differential pressure area actuated, fluid pressure reducing and regulating valve assembly having an initial fluid pressure inlet supply connection, a reduced fluid pressure outlet connection, a valve seat located in the body of such valve assembly between said fluid pressure inlet and outlet connections, and, a valve bonnet connection located adjacent a cylindrical bore concentric with and extending toward said valve seat in such valve body, the combination with the foregoing of an enlarged elongated cylinder secured to said bonnet connection adjacent and concentric with the valve body bore and having an elongated closed outer end cylindrical bore extending in tandem with the latter, a series of radially extending radiation fins equally spaced throughout the length of the outer circumference of said cylinder, an elongated cylindrical flanged valve bonnet secured between the latter and said valve body and having two reduced diameter projections one extending inward into said valve body bore and the other extending outward into the bore of said cylinder and in addition thereto a reduced diameter bore extending concentrically throughout its length, a conically shaped main valve seating upon said valve seat and having an elongated stem slidably mounted within the bore of said valve bonnet and having a skirted piston secured to its outer end beyond said bonnet, a closed liquid chamber located between the outer end of said piston and said closed outer end of said cylinder bore, access communication between said closed chamber and said outlet connection, a, cylindrical bore in said skirt of said piston slidably fitting over a reduced diameter portion of said outward extending projection, an annular shaped liquid compartment formed between the outer end of the latter and the adjacent end of said piston and having restricted access communication with said outlet connection and forming a liquid dash-pot, an annular shaped liquid cavity formed between the inner end of said skirt and a shoulder on said outward extending projection and having restricted access communication with said annular shaped compartment, and, manually adjustable spring loaded valve means for regulating the pressure on said annular shaped cavity.

2. Claim 1 characterized by, said spring loaded valve means to consist of a manually acfiustable spring loaded relief valve mounted in the body portion of said cylinder and seating towards the pressure on said cavity, and connected on the opposite side of its relief valve to the atmosphere.

3. Claim 1 characterized by, said spring loaded valve means to consist of a manually adjustable spring loaded relief valve remotely located from said pressure reducing valve assembly and having tubing connections in communication with the inner end of said cavity and access communication to the atmosphere, and having its relief valve seating towards the former.

FRANK DAVID BUTLER. 

